Method Of Heating The Clothes Load In A Tumbling Combination Washer/Dryer

ABSTRACT

A combination washer/dryer machine has a cabinet with a tub and drum positioned in the cabinet. The drum is rotatably positioned in the tub. A heater is secured to the tub. The heater includes a duct to provide heated air from the heater. The duct is coupled with the tub to supply heated air to the drum.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a combination washer/dryer machine and, more particularly, to a heating circuit in the combination washer/dryer machine.

BACKGROUND

In prior combination washers and dryers machines, the drying cycle is long and inefficient. Due to closed drying systems in these combination washer/dryer machines, additional time is required to dry clothes within the drum. This is unlike a conventional dryer that is vented to ambient. Here, conventional dryers include a blower that draws air into the drum for quickly drying the clothes within the dryer.

Also, in current combination washer/dryer machines, there is tendency to have localized high temperature areas in the drum. This leads to the contact with the clothes within the dryer or components within the cabinet of the combination washer/dryer machine. This high temperature concentration contact may cause undesirable imperfection to the clothes or to the components within the cabinet of the washer/dryer machine.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide heated air in a uniform manner into the drum. This avoids localized high temperature areas. Thus, this would improve drying.

Generally, the combination washers/dryers utilize ducts to provide hot air through a small port or small local grille inside the tumbling cavity. Thus, the temperature are generally higher. This is less desirable on a combination washer/dryer where the majority of components are polymeric in nature.

Accordingly, it is an object of the disclosure to overcome the deficiencies of the prior combination washer/dryer machines. It is an object of the disclosure to provide a heating circuit that generates uniform drying air. Thus, this eliminates a localized drying area. The present disclosures provides a heating element secured within the cabinet. This eliminates vibration of components within the cabinet cavity. The present disclosure provides a rigidly mounted heater element and duct. This eliminates or avoids high temperature flexible duct work or piping. Additionally, the present disclosure provides a larger area in the tumbling cylinder for the distribution of the heated air through the clothes.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present disclosure, a combination washer/dryer machine comprises a cabinet, a tub positioned in the cabinet and a drum rotatably positioned in the tub. A heater is secured to the tub. The heater includes a duct to provide heated air from the heater to the tub which, in turn, is distributed into the drum. The duct is likewise secured to the tub. The tub includes at least one opening to receive heated air from the duct. The drum includes apertures in its end surface providing at least 50 cm² of open area of the area of the end surface. The heater includes a metal housing to be secured to the tub. The heater duct is also metal. The duct can be an independent separate part from the heater.

According to a second embodiment of the disclosure, a combination washer/dryer machine comprises a cabinet, a door enabling access into the cabinet, and controls for operating the washer/dryer machine. A washing circuit and drying circuit wash and dry the clothes within the drum. A heater is secured to the tub. The heater includes a duct to provide heated air from the heater to the tub. The heated air is distributed into the drum. The duct is likewise secured to the tub. The tub includes at least one opening to receive heated air from the duct. The drum includes apertures in its end surface providing at least 50 cm² of open area of the end surface. The heater includes a metal housing secured to the tub. The heater duct is also metal. The duct can be an independent separate part from the heater.

According to a third aspect of the disclosure, a combination washer/dryer machine tub and drum comprises a tub and a drum inside of the tub. A heater is secured to the tub. The heater includes a duct to provide heated air from the heater to the tub. The heated air is distributed into the drum. The duct is likewise secured to the tub. The tub includes at least one opening to receive heated air from the duct. The drum includes apertures in its end surface providing at least 50 cm² of open area of the end surface. The heater includes a metal housing to be secured to the tub. The heater duct is also metal. The duct can be an independent or separate part from the heater.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination washer/dryer machine in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the combination washer/dryer machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a breakaway perspective view of the washing machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a breakaway top plan view of the combination washer/dryer machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a breakaway perspective view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of FIG. 5 along line 6-6 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Turning to the figures, a combination washer/dryer machine is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The combination washer/dryer machine 10 includes a cabinet 12 with a plurality of panels 14. The front panel 16 includes a door 18 to enable access into the cabinet 12. A control panel 20 is illustrated on the front panel 16 of the cabinet 12. The combination washer/dryer machine 10 includes a tub 30 with a drum 32 rotatably positioned inside of the tub 30. A washing circuit 34 is illustrated coupled with the tub 30. Additionally, a drying circuit 36 is illustrated coupled with the tub 30. Thus, heated air is moved into the drum 32 and exited to the ambient surroundings through desired duct work.

A heating element 40 is positioned on the tub 30. The heating element 40 includes a housing 42 that is secured, via fasteners, to the tub 30. The heating element housing 42 is generally a metal housing surrounding a calrod heating element positioned within the housing 42. The heating element 40 includes a duct 44 that is coupled with the tub 30. The duct 44 enables the heated air to pass into the drum 32 through the tub 30. The duct 44 has a desired design and is generally manufactured from a metallic material. Also, the duct 44 is secured to the tub 32, via fasteners, to prohibit movement of the duct as well as the heating element 40. The rigid mounting of the heating element 40 and duct 44 to the tub enables the design to avoid high temperature flexible duct. Also, this eliminates movement of the heating element and duct caused by vibration.

The tub 30 includes an opening 50 to enable passage of the heated air into the drum 32. The opening 50 may be a single large opening. Alternatively, a plurality of smaller openings. may be present in a desired area to provide for structural integrity.

Additionally, the drum 32 includes an end portion 54. The end portion 54 has a plurality of apertures to enable the heated air to pass into the drum 32. The apertures providing at least 50 cm² of open area of the total area of the end portion 54. The current design provides 180 cm² of open area. Accordingly, this enables adequate heated airflow to travel through the apertures and into the tumbling clothes for drying purposes. Thus, the open area of the apertures provides for the desired flow into the drum 30 to dry the clothes within the drum 30.

In operation, drying is initiated. The control panel initiates heating of the heating element 40. As this occurs, the blower fan in the drying circuit is initiated. This blower draws the heated air from the heating element 40 through the duct 44 into and through the opening 50 in the tub 30. After this, the air is drawn into the drum 32 via the apertures on the end portion 54 of the drum 32. The air continues to exit the drum 32 into the tub 30. The air is moved to the blower and ultimately out of the cabinet via the exhaust tube.

Thus, the heated air is drawn through the drum 32 to efficiently dry the clothes within the drum 32. The drying time is thus substantially reduced.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A combination washer/dryer machine comprising: a cabinet; a tub positioned in the cabinet; a drum rotatably positioned in the tub; and a heater secured to the tub, the heater including a duct for providing heated air from the heater, the duct coupled with the tub for supplying heated air to the drum.
 2. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 1, wherein the duct is secured to the tub.
 3. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 1, wherein the tub includes at least one opening to receive heated air from the duct.
 4. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 1, wherein the drum includes apertures in its end portion providing at least 50 cm² of open area of the area of the end portion.
 5. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 1, wherein the heater includes a metal housing to secure the heater with the tub.
 6. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 1, wherein the heater duct is metal.
 7. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 6, wherein the heater duct is an independent part separate from the heater.
 8. A combination washer/dryer machine comprising: a cabinet; a door enabling access into the cabinet; controls for operating the washer/dryer machine; a washing circuit; a drying system; a tub positioned in the cabinet; a drum rotatably positioned in the tub; and a heater secured to the tub, the heater including a duct for providing heated air from the heater, the duct coupled with the tub for supplying heated air to the drum.
 9. Combination washer/dryer machine of claim 8 wherein the duct is secured to the tub.
 10. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 8, wherein the tub includes at least one opening to receive heated air from the duct.
 11. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 8, wherein the drum includes apertures in its end portion providing at least 50 cm² of open area of area of the end portion.
 12. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 8, wherein the heater includes a metal housing to secure the heater with the tub.
 13. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 8, wherein the heater duct is metal.
 14. The combination washer/dryer machine of claim 13, wherein the heater duct is an independent part separate from the heater.
 15. A combination washer/dryer machine drum and tub combination comprising: a tub; a drum rotatably positioned in the tub; and a heater secured to the tub, the heater including a duct for providing heated air from the heater, the duct coupled with the tub for supplying heated air to the drum.
 16. The combination washer/dryer machine drum and tub combination of claim 15, wherein the duct is secured to the tub.
 17. The combination washer/dryer machine drum and tub combination of claim 15, wherein the tub includes at one opening to receive heated air from the duct.
 18. The combination washer/dryer machine drum and tub combination of claim 15, wherein the drum includes apertures in its end portion providing at least 50 cm² of open area of the area of the end portion.
 19. The combination washer/dryer machine drum and tub combination of claim 15, wherein the heater includes a metal housing to secure it with the tub.
 20. The combination washer/dryer machine drum and tub combination of claim 19, wherein the heater duct is metal. 